


I left my heart in New York

by strawberrytatoo



Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: D/s undertones, F/M, Undercover as a Couple
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-06
Updated: 2015-05-24
Packaged: 2018-03-21 15:21:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3697217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawberrytatoo/pseuds/strawberrytatoo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reddington takes Lizzie with him undercover as his lover to take down the head of a human trafficking ring.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

'Why on earth do I need to be undercover as your lover? I won't be taken seriously if they think I´m your little plaything.' Liz was very proud at how professional her voice sounded after Red had dropped that bomb on her.

'I know it's cliché, but it's necessary, believe me. They know me there, they know I don't have playthings.' His mouth twisted in amusement at the last word as he grasped Liz's hand in his. 'We will find a fitting alias for you, Liz, don't worry. This will go much smoother this way then if I went there alone.'

She didn't know when this attraction to Raymond Reddington started, exactly. 

A dangerous criminal, a man who would do anything to keep her safe, for a short while maybe her father, yes. A man who she wanted to pull her hair as he whispered all the things he wanted to do to her in the ear with that impossibly sexy voice, now that was new. 

Now she realized the relief she felt when he confirmed he was not her father for what it was. She must have subconsciously felt this pull towards him then, but being married and then the fallout with Tom had served as a wonderful diversion to her increasingly inappropriate thoughts.

Now sitting on a couch in his newest safehouse that was almost a mansion, only inches apart, she couldn't deny this any longer. Red had her hand in his slowly stroking the back of her hand with his thumb as he had done a few times before, trying to be comforting, or maybe persuasive, who knew. Sitting only inches away with a glass of scotch in his other hand, comfortable and completely oblivious to the way his small touch and the timbre of his voice was starting to do things to Liz.

This was very, very bad timing. If this insane mission was approved she could not be having these kinds on thoughts.

'Cooper is never going to approve this, you know.' 

'He will. Laurence Andrews is using his foundation as a cover for his human trafficking business and is looking to branch out. It's genius, really if you can admire that sort of thing. I´ll tell him I want in on it and we get proof so we can take him down.'

Reddington filled up Liz's glass and turned to her, an earnest expression on his face. 'We will need to portray a couple convincingly, sleep in the same room, will you be ok with that?'

'I know what undercover means, Red.' 

'Excellent! Now, let's toast. Tomorrow is soon enough to set the wheels in motion'

As Liz lifted her glass to Red's she saw no hint of what he was thinking or feeling, other then his general cheerfulness. Could it be that he was looking forward to this or was she just projecting?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to all of you for the kudos and comments! They really help me push through the fear of writing in a new fandom. :)

Liz sat across from Red in his private jet trying unsuccessfully to listen to his conversation with Dembe with no luck.

The mission has been approved and only took five days to set up, Cooper was eager to catch 'The Auctioneer' as they were now calling him. Aram had created detailed fake identities for Liz, himself and Ressler who would be flying in to the island tomorrow as harmless tourists.

Elizabeth Moore as her new drivers license now said was well educated and independently wealthy from her involvement in running specialized brothels.

Dembe stood up and headed up to the cockpit, leaving them alone for the first time since the night Reddington had first mentioned Laurence Andrews.

You never answered my question, Red.'

'Which one would that be?'

'Why we need to be ...together for this. If he looks into my background he'll see I´ve owned three different bordello's for almost ten years. Isn't that enough of an in with him?'

'It is.' Reddington put his glass down and looked her in the eyes for the first time since they got on the plane. 'There is a reason why Laurence Andrews is in the human trafficking business. He is a sexual sadist who is outcast in the S&M community. His search for new partners who do not know the depth of his depravity alerted him to the fact that he can make a hefty profit in this line of work. That's how he started with his auctions.'

His lip curled slightly with his last words. 'It's very important that you listen to me, Lizzie. He will try to seduce you. You have to reject his advances without injuring his precious ego, if you are my lover then I can protect you without arousing suspicion.'

'I´m sorry, I thought we were traveling to a private island in the Caribbean, not the 1960's! I´m a federal agent.' Liz stopped herself from raising her voice, but barely.

'I´m sorry but this is non-negotiable, Lizzie. This is a sexual predator, not some halfwit thug. This is our best chance at you seeming off limits to him.' Red leaned closer to her, his voice firm as if he could make her listen to him by his presence alone.

'Fine. How do you know him, anyway? He doesn't seem like the sort you usually do business with.'

'He's not. I knew this marvelous girl once, she was a professional submissive. I met an associate of mine in a club sometimes that had a members only cellar and she worked there. After a few times his name came up and I´ve been aware of his proclivities since.'

'Why take him down now, all of a sudden?'

'He is no longer content to merely procure people who are forced to work in these establishments, now he is hosting his own auctions. This is the first I´ve been invited to, so this is a good time to take him out.'

'Why do I feel like this is personal to you?'

'It's not, I simply abhor this sort of thing. Have you finished your reading on the S&M lifestyle? You need to be an expert and able to make recommendations to him, you know.' Red laid his hand on her knee for a long moment before sitting back in his seat and reaching for his forgotten glass of wine.

'How is this my life?'


	3. Chapter 3

Stepping into the Caribbean sunshine felt wonderful after the long New York winter. Liz adjusted her sunglasses as she stepped off the ramp, Red coming up behind her and putting his hand around her waist, hand possessively curling around her hip.

'Oh and one other thing, Lizzie,' he said close to her ear his voice so completely cheerful she immediately knew she would not like what he was about to say. 'Our room in the villa will be bugged. So I´m think long walks on the beach, sweet nothings whispered in my ear, that sort of thing, understand? Wonderful!'

Fixing an adoring smile on her face in case they were already under surveillance Liz tilted her head up to Red and whispered 'this is not funny. Just because I´m not armed, doesn't mean I´m not dangerous.'

'How kind of you to try and keep things interesting, my dear, but wholly unnecessary I assure you.'

Red kept her close to his side as they walked the short distance to the car that had been sent for them so that they looked like a smitten couple, not so subtly reminding her that it was showtime. 

***

The villa looked like something out of a tourist brochure except for the over sized security gate completely surrounding the property and four men with machine guns patrolling the perimeter.

When they finally reached the end of the long driveway there were people milling about but a man and woman were standing on the veranda, clearly waiting for them.

'Hello and welcome!' The woman greeted them warmly and kissed their cheeks with a flourish. 'My name is Melanie, Laurence is at a meeting so I wanted to see to it personally that you get settled and everything is to your satisfaction.' Her melodic french accent and elegant appearance was designed to seem nonthreatening but Laurence Andrew's mistress and business partner could not be as innocent as she looked. 

The man who was waiting with her briefly introduced himself as Micheal but the way he hung back, half his attention on the area around them screamed 'security/thug for hire' as loudly as if he carried his pistol on his hip and not concealed on his person as he most certainly did.

Melanie took them on a brief tour of the ground floor, making small talk about life on the island and how lovely dinner would be. Red kept most of the conversation going, charming her effortlessly while Liz tried to make notes of the exits and general floor plan.

Finally Melanie showed them to their room on the second floor. 'I'll let you freshen up, dinner is at 7. I know how much Laurence is looking forward to meeting you both!' 

She closed the door behind her and Liz looked around the room that she would be sharing with Red for the next few days. There was a small tv nook, a desk with space for a laptop, a small balcony with open french doors letting in a breeze and a queen size bed that was turned down invitingly and their luggage at the foot of the bed.

'I´m going to take a nap, care to join me Lizzie?' While his tone seemed casual, Red cocked his head and looked at her almost as if he was waiting for something.

Realizing that since their room was bugged she couldn't ask any of the million questions she had for him, all she could do was keep in character. 'No, I think I´m going to read for a while.'

Removing her jacket, Lizzie went out to the balcony and sat in one of the two chairs with her notebook. Instead of reading her eyes followed Red as he toed off his shoes, hung up his jacket and vest and lay down on the bed, seemingly settling down for a nap without a care in the world.

The room being bugged was not something she had considered. Not being able to talk freely here was going to be challenging. 

Instead of lingering on how small the bed they would be sharing later that night seemed with him in it, she dragged her eyes back to her notes. One problem at a time.


End file.
